Obituary for Edward J. "Coach" Bowes
To honor Coach Bowes, an Ed Bowes ’60 Scholarship Fund has been established in his name at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School.
Edward (Ed) Bowes, a teacher and coach at Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn for 39 years, died suddenly on July 31. The founder and longtime meet director of the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational as well as the Bishop Loughlin Games, Bowes lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with his wife of 31-years, Amelia Bowes, formerly Amelia Angelone. He was 78 years old. Bowes was best known for his coaching career at Bishop Loughlin High School where his boys’ and girls’ teams captured a total of 16 Catholic League team championships in addition to three Championship of America titles at the Penn Relays. He founded the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational in 1973 and served as the meet director over a 44-year span as his annual event developed into the largest single-day, high school cross country meet in the United States. Contested in the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park, the Invitational annually attracts 10,000 runners from across the nation who compete in over 40 intermediate-level to varsity races. The signature race of that day is the Girls Eastern States Championship that has been re-named in his honor. Bowes was also recognized for his contributions to scholastic cross country by Manhattan College at the 2019 Invitational and was presented with a finish line plaque that declared the meet’s final stretch alongside Broadway as “Ed Bowes Way.” Bowes was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He also served as meet director of the Bishop Loughlin Games, one of the New York metropolitan area’s best indoor track & field meets that helps raise scholarship funds for needy athletes. An accomplished scholastic runner at Bishop Loughlin High School, Bowes attended Manhattan College where he was a member of the Jaspers’ cross country and track teams. He graduated from Manhattan College in 1964 and then competed for the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Bowes later became the first track and field coach to be honored by the NYAC at their Frank McGuire Foundation Awards dinner in 2001 for his contributions as a high school coach who provided a positive influence on young athletes. During his legendary coaching career, he was honored by induction into several Hall of Fame including Manhattan College, Bishop Loughlin, the CHSAA and the Armory. In addition, Bowes was named as the Honorary High School Boys Referee at the 1997 Penn Relays. Bowes gained athletic notoriety at the 1972 New York City Marathon where his underdog bid for glory was derailed by dehydration at the 23-mile mark of the race resulting in Bowes being taken off the course in an ambulance.
Earlier that year, Bowes mentored two-time USA Olympian Matt Centrowitz helping the then-high school miler to a 4.02.7 time in 1972, a New York State high school record that still stands. His top athlete at Bishop Loughlin High School was prolific distance runner Luis Ostolozaga who went on to establish the record over the rugged, 2.5-mile, cross country course at Van Cortlandt Park. At Manhattan College, Ostolozaga became a two-time All- American runner, and is also a member of Manhattan College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Bowes was born in New York City on August 10, 1942, the son of the late Edward Francis Bowes and Marie Bowes formerly Marie Roche. In addition to his wife, Amelia Bowes, he is survived by his sisters: Mary Jo Crino and her husband Ralph, Kathleen White and her husband John; his brother James Bowes and his wife Dorothy. He was the loving uncle of eight nieces and nephews and their loved ones; seven great-nieces and nephews. He is pre-deceased by his sister Geraldine Bowes and niece Julianne White.
Funeral mass for Ed Bowes will be at St. Patrick’s Church, 9511 Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 6 at 10:30 AM. Based upon Ed’s wishes, there will be a public memorial service and celebration at a later date.
Edward (Ed) Bowes, a teacher and coach at Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn for 39 years, died suddenly on July 31. The founder and longtime meet director of the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational as well as the Bishop Loughlin Games, Bowes lived in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with his wife of 31-years, Amelia Bowes, formerly Amelia Angelone. He was 78 years old. Bowes was best known for his coaching career at Bishop Loughlin High School where his boys’ and girls’ teams captured a total of 16 Catholic League team championships in addition to three Championship of America titles at the Penn Relays. He founded the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational in 1973 and served as the meet director over a 44-year span as his annual event developed into the largest single-day, high school cross country meet in the United States. Contested in the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park, the Invitational annually attracts 10,000 runners from across the nation who compete in over 40 intermediate-level to varsity races. The signature race of that day is the Girls Eastern States Championship that has been re-named in his honor. Bowes was also recognized for his contributions to scholastic cross country by Manhattan College at the 2019 Invitational and was presented with a finish line plaque that declared the meet’s final stretch alongside Broadway as “Ed Bowes Way.” Bowes was inducted into the Manhattan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002. He also served as meet director of the Bishop Loughlin Games, one of the New York metropolitan area’s best indoor track & field meets that helps raise scholarship funds for needy athletes. An accomplished scholastic runner at Bishop Loughlin High School, Bowes attended Manhattan College where he was a member of the Jaspers’ cross country and track teams. He graduated from Manhattan College in 1964 and then competed for the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) Bowes later became the first track and field coach to be honored by the NYAC at their Frank McGuire Foundation Awards dinner in 2001 for his contributions as a high school coach who provided a positive influence on young athletes. During his legendary coaching career, he was honored by induction into several Hall of Fame including Manhattan College, Bishop Loughlin, the CHSAA and the Armory. In addition, Bowes was named as the Honorary High School Boys Referee at the 1997 Penn Relays. Bowes gained athletic notoriety at the 1972 New York City Marathon where his underdog bid for glory was derailed by dehydration at the 23-mile mark of the race resulting in Bowes being taken off the course in an ambulance.
Earlier that year, Bowes mentored two-time USA Olympian Matt Centrowitz helping the then-high school miler to a 4.02.7 time in 1972, a New York State high school record that still stands. His top athlete at Bishop Loughlin High School was prolific distance runner Luis Ostolozaga who went on to establish the record over the rugged, 2.5-mile, cross country course at Van Cortlandt Park. At Manhattan College, Ostolozaga became a two-time All- American runner, and is also a member of Manhattan College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Bowes was born in New York City on August 10, 1942, the son of the late Edward Francis Bowes and Marie Bowes formerly Marie Roche. In addition to his wife, Amelia Bowes, he is survived by his sisters: Mary Jo Crino and her husband Ralph, Kathleen White and her husband John; his brother James Bowes and his wife Dorothy. He was the loving uncle of eight nieces and nephews and their loved ones; seven great-nieces and nephews. He is pre-deceased by his sister Geraldine Bowes and niece Julianne White.
Funeral mass for Ed Bowes will be at St. Patrick’s Church, 9511 Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn on Thursday, August 6 at 10:30 AM. Based upon Ed’s wishes, there will be a public memorial service and celebration at a later date.